The UAE is fully committed to fostering strong relations with India that will benefit both nations, said the UAE's ambassador to India.
Dr Abdulnasser Alshaali was speaking exclusively to The National following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE on Saturday.
The nations have an opportunity to make a profound and enduring impact in sectors including economic development climate action, energy, food security, and defence, he said.
“India has been playing a major role globally, and we see it growing in the coming years. India considers the UAE to be one its most reliable partners,” Mr Alshaali said.
“It is an equal relationship championed by two leaders with the same vision for development.”
It is the fifth visit of Mr Modi to the UAE after he assumed office in 2014. During the one-day trip on his return from a state visit in France on July 13 and 14, Mr Modi met President Sheikh Mohamed for talks to bolster bilateral relations.
Mr Modi also met Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the President-designate for Cop28, and offered his full support for the climate summit which the UAE will be hosting in Dubai this year.
India's support for Cop28 crucial
Mr Alshaali said India’s support in strengthening climate action is crucial for the UAE.
“India is the one of the most important voices on climate and sustainability from the Global South, and we have been assured of India’s support for the UAE’s Cop28 presidency.”
He said the One Earth, One Family, One Future slogan that India has adopted for its G20 Presidency this year resonates with the goals of Cop28.
“This will help in greater alignment in addressing the climate issue and bringing countries together to accelerate climate action and sustainability.”
Mr Alshaali said the bilateral relations and partnership between the countries are going from strength to strength.
“The momentum of the UAE and India relations started in 2015 and is building up with each high-level visit and robust people-to-people relations.
“Everyone can see that there is so much interest in the highest level to keep it growing and to find new areas of co-operation as strategic partners.”
Mr Alshaali was appointed as the UAE ambassador to India in September 2022.
Trade agreement is bolstering ties between nations
Speaking about the landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) signed last year between the UAE and India, Mr Alshaali said both countries have benefited hugely.
“With increased engagement in trade and investment, it is driving economic growth to achieve $100 billion bilateral trade by 2030,” he said.
Bilateral non-oil trade between the UAE and India reached $50.5 billion, a 5.8 per cent annual increase, in the first 12 months of the agreement, The National reported in June.
The UAE is India's third-largest trading partner. The UAE is also India's second-largest export market.
“India is a huge market. And the UAE is also a sizeable market,” Mr Alshaali said.
“The way we see it is, we both are complimenting the supply chain of products and can work together in many areas.”
By reducing tariffs on 80 per cent of goods and offering new platforms for investment, as well as easy access to markets, Mr Alshaali said the quality and range of engagement in trade and investment has increased tremendously.
The ambassador also said during his several visits to research parks and facilities in India, he was convinced that there was so much to expand on.
“Both the UAE and India can play a crucial role in supply chains in future collaborations for ideas, innovations and manufacturing,” he said.
This in addition to the people-to-people relations, he added, will expand trade and investment opportunities.
“The focus today is the big cities and major states that are trading partners. But moving forward, we should be able to see more connectivity between second-tier cities and all the seven emirates of the UAE, as well,” he said.
The envoy said there will be more daily flights between the two countries so that the air traffic capacity matches the aspirations of both governments as well as the businesspeople and investors.
Thor: Ragnarok
Dir: Taika Waititi
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson
Four stars
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
The%20specs
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELee%20Cronin%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlyssa%20Sutherland%2C%20Morgan%20Davies%2C%20Lily%20Sullivan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
